5. The Power! The prestige! The fame!
4. You only have to make an appearance in parliament a few times a month
3. Subsidised food! (And not the crap we get at university..! Rumour sayeth that buriyani is on the menu!
2.I can shout and hurl abuse at people I dont like under the pretext of debating important national issues in the sure knowledge that no one can sue my ass.
1. The fact that all MPs in Sri Lanka got a 145% salary increase! (so I got a friend to do the calculations!)
But seriously check this out:
Increased salaries
Prime Minister & ministers From Rs.34000.00 to Rs.71500.00
Speaker From Rs.31000.00 to Rs.68500.00
Leader of the opposition From Rs.29815.00 to Rs.65000.00
Deputy Minister From Rs.28750.00 to Rs.63500.00
Member of Parliament From Rs.22100.00 to Rs.54285.00
I kid you not! Read the BBC Article!
And all of a sudden I'm all for the President calling for early elections! Where do I sign up dammit???
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3 comments:
I don’t think that amount of salary or subsidized food is a good reason to be a MP in SL - considering all the sacrifices and humiliations one has to bare. For the above salary range, I rather be an illegal factory worker in South Korea than be the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka.
But even a slight chance of managing public money, or control over police and law enforcement is very good reason to be a MP. Specially, when the general commission is 40% - 110% for approve public projects.
If I can have 10% of every export fish container to Japan from Sri Lanka, I will happily trade my dignity to be a MP like Mahinda Wijesekara. If I can have 40Rs for every single imported flour 50kg pack, I will happily be a MP like Fernandopulle. If I can operate 18 T1 lines and if I get TRC guys to set up it for me too, I won’t mind risking my life to be a president like Chandrika. Hell with the salary and the food. Give that to my dog!
I agree with Sam. The salary, food and other fringe benefits are nothing compared to what they earn with commissions and bribes and all that. Add to that the power, immunity and prestige enjoyed by politicos of the governing party.
I get paid much more than what the Sri Lankan President earns. I would gladly change jobs with him or even a lowly deputy minister.
Its more the injustice that rankles me... specialy since this was coming in the wake of government refusal to grant CTB workers 5000 bucks in arrears...
Humna nature never fails to amaze me.
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